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Match Report – Wednesday 30th October 2024

The Flyers made the midweek trip to last season’s Grand Slam winning Sheffield Steelers looking to end a number of unwanted winless records. The visitors were without the injured Austin Farley with Yanis Voris, James Spence and Fynn Page also scratched. Added to their line up was 19 year old Aiden Wilson who had recently been signed on a two way from the Romford Raiders. The Steelers scratches were Joel Janatuinen along with two way players Ivan Bjorkly Nordstrom, Nathan Ripley and Sam Cooper.

The Flyers made a positive start to the game and had an extended period of time in the Steelers zone with Olivier LeBlanc forcing the first save of the game from Matt Greenfield. Brandon Whistle had the Steelers first effort on goal in the 2nd minute but Shane Owen was square to his shot. The visitors stunned their hosts in the 4th minute when Phélix Martineau dogged Dominic Cormier all the way down the ice to steal the puck from him and from the right circle he picked the far corner on Greenfield. In the 6th minute Greenfield was once again in action when he stopped a tip on the edge of his crease from Martineau. From the face of Madi Dikhanbek got another shot in on the Steelers goal. In the 8th minute the Flyers were caught on a quick transition and as Marc-Olivier Vallerand skated through on Owen he was slashed and the referee awarded a penalty shot. Vallerand skated in on Owen and drew the puck around the keeper to find the right hand side of the net. Moments later Tyler Heidt did well to get a stick on the puck at the edge of his crease to break up a 2 on 1 with a Steeler lurking at the back door. Daniel Leavens tested Owen when he batted the puck out of midair from the slot in the 9th minute. Cole Shudra was positioned at the top of Owen’s crease in the 11th minute but his tip was well dealt with by the Fife keeper. The Steelers went on the first power play of the night when Noah Delmas was called for a trip on Mitchell Balmas. The Flyers came up with a solid kill with Owen facing just a couple of comfortable shots as the visitors broke up the Steelers cycle a number of times. In the 17th minute Owen sticked away a blast from the point and going the other way Martin Látal set up a chance for Drake Pilon whose shot from the high slot was blockered into the netting by Greenfield. Owen had to be alert in the 18th minute as he shut down a sneaky effort from Daniel Ciampini who tried to stuff the puck home on the short side.

The Steelers had the opening shot of the second period when Cormier drove one on net following a stretch pass which Owen was alert to. Just as they did in the first period the Flyers were quick to get on the board again when a nice rush up ice involving Michael Cichy, Lucas Chiodo and Martineau ended with a pass over from Chiodo to Martineau who stuffed the puck in at the post off the skates of Greenfield. In the 24th minute Látal drove the Steelers zone and cut into the middle of the ice where he fired a shot into the glove of Greenfield. A minute later and a Balmas pass to Colton Saucerman was tipped just wide. Daniel Krenželok had a shot in the 27th minute from the blueline that was saved by Greenfield but moments later the Steelers got back on terms when a saucer pass from Patrick Watling opened up the Flyers defence and Mikko Juusola came down the left boards before going five hole on Owen. In the 30th minute there was a delay as Patrick Kyte took a puck to the face and left the game to get repairs as the ice was then cleaned up. The Steelers were back on the power play in the 31st minute when the Flyers were called for delay of game as Chiodo shot the puck over the glass into the Steelers bench. Owen made a sprawling save on Whistle who came in at the back post and then he held a Vallerand one timer as the Fife penalty killers once again did a good job. In the 35th minute Juusola had a half chance but Owen covered up. The Flyers were out of luck in the 36th minute as Cichy dragged the puck into the Steelers zone and his quick snapshot beat Greenfield but rang the post and from the follow up play Martineau was robbed as he had an empty net but somehow Greenfield got his stick on the puck to deflect it over. In the final minute Sacha Guimond was up on the rush and forced a blocker save from Owen.

Kyte returned to the Flyers bench to start the third period wearing the #18 jersey. Pilon had the first shot of the period after 30 seconds that Greenfield saved comfortably. It was the Steelers though who struck quickly with the go ahead goal inside the opening minute. The puck was misplayed and broke nicely into the path of Cormier who buried it stick side on Owen. Watling was next to threaten in the 42nd minute when he stole into the Flyers zone but he couldn’t beat Owen one on one. In the 46th minute Ciampini couldn’t finish on a 2 on 1 break and the Flyers went the other way with the trademark speed of Látal creating an opportunity but he was denied by Greenfield. From the face off there was nearly a great set up play between Cichy, Chiodo and Martineau but a Steelers stick got a piece of the puck with Greenfield out of position. In the 48th minute Watling tipped a shot wide and the Flyers were back on the penalty kill as Heidt was called for tripping. Saucerman tested Owen who saw the puck through a crowd to hold on and it was another sterling effort from the penalty killers as they prevented the Steelers from creating any quality scoring chances as the visitors returned to full strength. A killer fourth goal for the Steelers came in the 52nd minute when a bad pinch at the Steelers blueline by a defenceman allowed the Steelers an odd man rush and it looked as though Watling would score with the net gaping but Owen made a miraculous save only for the rebound to fall for Finlay Ulrick who hit the wide open net. In the 54th minute Greenfield had to be sharp to make a good pad save before the Flyers only power play of the night when Vallerand got the gate for a trip on Kyte. The Flyers got nothing set up in the Steelers zone and on two occasions almost gave up a short handed goal on breakaways. Firstly Mark Simpson went in all alone on Owen who denied him then a turnover at the Steelers blue line by the Flyers saw Whistle skate in uncontested and he tried to go five hole but Owen shut the pads to deny him. Owen was again in action in the 56th minute when he stopped a close in tip by Leavens. With 80 seconds to go Fife called their timeout and Owen was pulled for the extra skater. A shot on the Steelers net went wide and the puck broke out of the zone where Watling made no mistake in finding the empty net from the neutral zone to ice the win.

Pic Credits – Dean Wooley

Fife Flyers are next at home on  Sunday 3rd November when they entertain the Nottingham Panthers – tickets can be bought online here:  Tickets – Fife Flyers or look out on social media channels for box office opening times.